


On Your Side

by flickawhip



Category: Home Fires (UK TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 11:46:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7101931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flickawhip/pseuds/flickawhip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. </p><p>Miriam is forced to bring two other friends together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Your Side

The silence of the table is broken when the doors slam shut behind the latest person to come to the meeting, the hesitant smile enough to warn Mim that something is wrong. Erica seems to be distant often enough but now it’s clear that Steph’s, slightly indelicate, entrance to the meeting, and shyly hesitant smile, has drawn her attention. 

The meeting passes as it often does, the lack of Joyce in the village has both eased the load that the WI must carry and added to it, Sarah and Frances continue on as leaders, although it seems that now Alison has also taken on much more work. Claire seems often to be distracted by her own troubles and Pat, now free of Bob, is confident enough to help them all a little more. 

What nobody seems to see is that there is a slight break beginning to form, held together only by determination. Frances has always welcomed them all, but lately she is stressed and it is clear, almost too clear, that nobody dares challenge her too often. Except Steph. 

That isn’t true this time and Erica finds, despite her distraction, that she is watching the woman closely. Yes she and Mim have suffered losses, but they cannot ignore the clear pain of other people. It simply isn’t in their nature. 

It is Mim who checks on Steph, following her out after the meeting and catching her before she leaves. There is a streak of stubborn refusal that seems to keep coming to light and yet, despite it all, Mim does not back down. 

The visible flinch on Steph’s part when she turns, forcing Mim to grip her arm to still her in doesn’t go unnoticed and shame is bright in Steph’s bright, ice-cold eyes. She has shut down a lot since the plane, fear always did push her back into herself. This time she can’t hide. Mim moves on instinct, rolling the woman’s sleeve back and taking in the marked skin, a simple bruise at first, but, when she runs a hand lightly over it, she can feel the split in the skin. 

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

She had expected the reply and yet Mim’s eyes blaze as she rolls the woman’s sleeve further back, checking for further marks. She doesn’t trust that there isn’t more here, something that will remain unsaid. There is a pattern to the mark, the bruise and the cut and, slowly, she recognizes it. A grip that was not human. 

“How did you…”

She cuts herself off then, knowing she won’t have an answer. 

“You need to get that cleaned…”

“I…”

She doesn’t let Steph finish. 

“You don’t get to die on me Steph Farrow, I’ve lost enough friends and family…”

The sudden fierceness in her tone seems to break through and Steph sighs, then agrees, she would fight her, usually but she is tired, and, if she is honest, the fiercely protective way Mim is staring at her has given her some hope that perhaps, just perhaps, they can all survive. 

She stiffens noticeably when Mim leads her into Erica’s house. Her eyes fixed on the floor even as Mim leads her to the sofa, settling her there before seeking Erica. Everything in her wants to leave. She can’t stand the memories, the absolute fear that had hit her. She had been pleased to see Erica and Mim survive and the guilt of it all came down on her all the more. 

She had been distracted, of course, which had been how she had managed to get herself hurt, bruised and bleeding. Now, though, she had to do her best to pretend she was alright, she couldn’t stand to upset or worry either woman more than they had been. Neither woman had completely made it out of the plane incident unharmed. 

By the time Mim returned with Erica there was a lightness in Mim’s eyes that was rare to see, it was clear that this, being needed, was enough. Steph had flinched only once as she let Erica work, glad she at least had no need to face the surgery. 

Mim’s grasp on her hand was welcomed and she half-sighed at the lightness of Erica’s touch against her bruised arm. Healing it would take time but, sat here, safely settled between friends, she had a feeling she may just cope. 

She had been reluctant to face Erica, ashamed that the mere thought of Stan dying had broken so much of her usually strong resolve, but now, with Erica’s hand covering hers, stilling her thoughts, the warmth of Mim’s hand in her other, steadying her further, she knew they would face the future together. Others may come or go, but they, the three who faced the world without husbands or clues on how to handle the family business beyond day to day, would keep going, fighting for what they had, for their families and for friendship.


End file.
